Aircraft



BAUER.

AIRCRAFT,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1919.

Paiwnted Nov. 1, 1

4 SHEETS-SHEET J. BAUER.

AIRCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 1919.

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AIRCRAFT.

APPLlCATlON FILED FEB. 7. 1919.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921,

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- J. BAUER.

AIRCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 19m.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- X2 anoint-4 o PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BAUER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AIRCRAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Application filed February 7, 1919. Serial No. 275,621.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN BAUER, a citizen.

of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Aircraft, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide novel means for opening out'a parachute, and for disposing the parachute in operative relation to an aeroplane, when the latter falls.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention relates.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of What is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the. accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed. in accordance with the invention, assembled with an aeroplane, the aeroplane being in a falling position. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail illustrating certain parts which control the operation of the parachute; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a top plan, parts being broken away, the structure delineating the device as it will be when in use; Fig. 5 is a. perspective showing one of the connecting frames; Fig. 6 is a perspective showing the door at the forward end of the casing which houses the folded parachute; Fig. 7 is a side elevation, showing the parachute as it will appear when the aeroplane is in working condition, the parachute trailing after the aeroplane; Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the structure as it will appear, before the parachute has been let out of the casing and put into use;

i Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the casing,

the view disclosing the parachute folded up within the casing; Fig. 10 is a cross section of the casing; Fig. 11 is a perspective showing the levers which form the opening mechanism for the covers of the casing, and form, also, means for opening the parachute; Fig. 12 is a perspective disclosing a 'tive showing the bracket wherewith support through which certain of the fiexible ellements pass to the parachute and acqacent mechanlsms; Fig. 13 is a perspecthe support of Fig. 12 cooperates.

The numeral 1 denotes the body of an aeroplane, whereunto are secured the ends 2 of a U-shaped rearwardly inclined frame 3, the frame being secured to the body of the aeroplane, additionally, by means of straps 4 pro ecting forwardly from a lower cross bar 5 connecting opposite portions of the frame 3. The numeral 6 denotes, generally stated a casing, superposed on the body 1 of the aeroplane and constituting, to all mtents and purposes, a part thereof. The casing 6 includes a detachable bottom 7 and top closures 8 are provided, the same belng adapted to open laterally and outwardly. The top closures 8, are connected with the bottom 7 of the casing 6 by means of hinge rods 9,- the forward ends of which are mounted to rock in bearings 10 'on the frame 3, the rear ends of the hinge rods being received in bearings 11 on a frame 50 hereinafter described.

The rear end of the casing 6 is open, as shown at 12.- The forward end of the casing 6 is closed by a door 14 suitably reinforced by means of ribs 15, and in this connection, 1t is to be understood that reinforcing ribs such as the parts 15, may be used wherever convenient or considered expedient. To the upper end of the door 14, a hanger 16 is secured, the hanger being pivoted at 17 to the upper portion of the frame 3, and the construction being such that the lower edge of the door may be swung forwardly, toward an open position. An upper cross bar 18 extends across the frame 3 and a retractile spring 19 is assembled with the cross bar, the spring being attached to the .door 14 and constituting a means for holding the door normally closed.

A main lever 20 extends longitudinally of the casing 6 and is located, for the most part, within the casing, beneath the top closures 8, the lever being fulcrumed at 21 on the frame 3. The lever 20 includes an angularly disposed end 22 extended upwardly and rearwardly through a slot 23 in the door 14. The lever 20 is provided, to the rear of its fulcrum 21, with depending arms 24 having outwardly extended fingers 25 adapted to cooperate with tracks 26 on the top closures 8. Auxiliary levers 27 cxtcnd longitudinally of the body portion of the main lever 20, on opposite sides thereof and are fulcrumed as indicated at 28, on forks 29 at the rear ends of the main lever 20. The auxiliary levers 27 terminate in angular rear ends 30 which are crossed on each other. The forward ends of the auxiliary levers 27 are supplied with catch springs 43. The rear end of a crot ch line 31 is connected to the inner extremities of the parts 30 of the levers 27 and extends beneath a sheave 32 on a shaft 36 extended between the arms 24 of the lever 20. The forward end of the crotch line 31 is connected at 37 to an ear 38 on the cross bar 5 of the frame 3. One end of a line 33 is connected at 34 to the upper end of a hanger 16v on the door, above the pivotal mounting 17 of the door, and extends beneath a sheave 35 on the shaft 36. The forward end of the line 33 is connected to the ear 38, as hereinbefore described in connection with the forward end of the crotch line 31. The rear end of an operating line is connected at 40 to the upper end of the part 22 of the lever 20 and may extend through a guide 41 on the body 1 of the machine, the forward end of the line 39 being secured as shown at 42 to the body 1.

The numeral 44 marks a retaining member assembled with the bend of-a loop-shaped cable 45 extended through eyes 46 on a support 47 having legs 48 received in the eyes 49 of a bracket 50 secured to the body 1 of the aeroplane, the side portions of the cable 45 being held in the eyes 46 by means of set screws 51. The forward extremities of the cable 45 are secured as shown at 52 to the body 1 of the aeroplane. The numeral 53 marks a cable extended into a recess 54 of the retaining member 44, the forward end of the cable 53 being secured at 55 to the member 44. The rear end of the cable 53 carries a small paracute 56. The numeral 57 marks the body of a large parachute, including flexible ribs 58, the forward ends of which are attached to a rider 59 of tubular form, mounted to reciprocate on the cable 53 and adapted to be received in the recess 54 of the retaining member 44. A loop-shaped flexible element 60 is engaged in its intermediate portion with the rider 59 and extends through eyes 61 on the support 47. the flexible element 60 being slidably received in the eyes. The forward ends of the flexible element 60 are assembled with drums 62 mounted on a shaft 63 carried by the forward portion of the aeroplane body 1. A ratchet wheel 64 is secured to the shaft 63. A lever 65 is mounted to swing on the shaft 63 and has a pawl mechanism 66 adapted to cotiperate with the ratchet wheel 64, but normally out of engagement therewith. In

the retaining member 44 there is mounted a latch mechanism 67 of any desired construction, adapted to engage the' rider 59, to hold the rider in the retaining member 44. The latch mechanism 67 is under the control of a slide rod 68 mounted to reciprocate in the member 44, the slide rod being controlled by a spring 69,which serves to keep the latch mechanism 67 in such position as to engage normally with the rider 59, and to engage the rider, when the rider is advanced. The rear end of a releasing line 70 is connected to the rod 68, the releasing line passing slidably through an eye 71 on the bracket 50. The forward end of the releasing line 70 may be made fast to the body portion 1 of the aeroplane, as indicated at 72.

In practical operation, the parachute 57 is folded up in the casing 6, the levers 27 being disposed within the casing 6 on top of the folded parachute, parts of the parachute being engaged by the catch springs 43, the door 14 being closed, and the members 8 being closed. The operator pulls upon the line 39, thereby tilting the lever 20 on its fulcrum 21, whereupon the fingers 25 of the arms 24 will ride along the tracks 26 on the closures 8 and swing the closures to an open position. When the lever 20 is swung as aforesaid, the crotch line 31 is tightened up, and the line 33 is tightened up also. When the line 33 is tightened, the door 14 is swung into an open position, and thus air is admitted into the forward end of the folded parachute 57, to aid in opening the same. The spring catches 43 hold the folded parachute in place until it is caught by the wind and opened as aforesaid. Then the crotch line 31 is tightened, the levers 27 are swung on their fulcra 28, the spreaders 43 at the forward ends of the levers serving to open the parachute 57. The parachute, in partially opened condition catches the air and rides backwardly and outwardly out of the casing 6 into an open position, as shown in Fig. 1, it being obvious that when the parachute 57 is arranged as above described, an abrupt dropping of the aeroplane will be prevented.

Let it be supposed, that, after falling for a distance, the operator of the aeroplane has been able to start the machinery and right the machine. Then, obviously, there is no reason why the parachute 57 should constitute a continuing drag on the aeroplane. The releasing line 7 0 is pulled upon, detaching the latch mechanism 67 from the rider 59, the rider 59 riding rearwardly out of the retaining member 44 along the cable 53, the parachute 57 folding outwardly and rearwardly into the position shown in Fig. 7, the ends of the flexible element 60 paying off the drums 62, the shaft 63, which carries the drums rotating readily, because the pawl mechanism 66 which coiiperates with the ratchet wheel is normally out of engage ment with the ratchet wheel.

Let it be supposed, however, that, when the parachute 57 is in the form shown in Fig. 7, it is desired to restore the arachute to the opened position of Fig. 1. hen, the drums 62 are rotated by means of the lever 65 andthe pawl mechanism 66, the loopshaped flexible element 60 being) reeled upon the drums, and the rider 59 eing drawn forwardly, until it enters again the retaining member 4A and engages automatically with the latch mechanism 67. It is to be ob served that if the rider 59 is to be drawn forwardly on the cable 53, the cable should trail directly behind the aeroplane. It is for this purpose, that the cable 53 carries the small parachute 56 hereinbefore alluded to, it being obvious that the function of the small parachute is to straighten out the cable 53. Further the small parachute 56, holding the cable 53 in a trailing position,

prevents the cable and the parachute 57 when the latter is folded as shown in Fig. 7, from swinging around or fouling other parts of the device.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is I 1. In a device of the class described, an air craft having a movable closure; a

\ parachute housed beneath the closure; a first lever fulcrumed on the air craft and including a part cooperating with closure; a second lever fulcrumed 0n the first lever and comprising means for engaging the parachute releasably; means under the control of an operator for actuating both levers thereby to open the closure and to open the parachute; and a flexible connection between the parachute and the aircraft.

2. In a device of the class described, an aircraft having a closure and a door; a parachute housed beneath the closure and located behind the door; means for opening the door to admit air into the forward end of the parachute; means for. opening the closure; means for spreading the parachute chute; and means for connecting the parachute to the aircraft.

4. In a device of the class described, an

air craft; a closed parachute; a flexible con-Y nection between the parachute and the air craft whereby the parachute may trail behind the air craft when the latter is in normal flight; means for opening the parachute to render the same effective when the parachute falls; and mechanism for releasing the parachute to permit the parachute to collapse and to turn inside out when the air craft is in normal flight and when the parachute is' trailing.

I 5. A device of the class described, constructed as set forth in claim 4, and further characterized by the provision of a second parachute assembled with the connection and of smaller size than the first specified parachute, the second parachute being open when the first specified parachute is collapsed and trailin In testimony that claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BAUER.

Witnesses:

E. A. PUTHUFF, ADALPHUS G. RENAUD. 

